Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City attracted a combined 5.7 billion USD in domestic and foreign investment to its export processing and industrial zones in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 131.15% of the full-year target and up 29.13% year-on-year.
Tran Viet Ha, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA), revealed the figure at a press briefing held by the municipal People's Committee on September 24.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in export processing and industrial zones reached 4.27 billion USD, up 62.22% year-on-year. HEPZA granted investment certificates to 100 new projects worth 3.14 billion USD and approved capital increases totalling 1.13 billion USD for 120 existing projects.
Ha said the results reflect a gradual shift towards higher-quality and more efficient capital flows. New projects are not only adding resources to production and business activities but also expanding infrastructure capacity, developing inter-sectoral clusters, attracting supporting enterprises and increasing the participation of domestic firms in value chains.
The largest project is a 2.1-billion-USD data centre in Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park, which is designed to develop high-performance computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence and big-data processing. It is expected to generate demand for digital infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, technology services and highly skilled workers.
Another major project is Phase 1 of Vinh Lap Industrial Park with an area of more than 497ha and total investment of over 379 million USD. The industrial park is planned as a multi-sector complex prioritising high-tech industries, with potential for development into a green and circular industrial park.
With investment attraction already exceeding the annual target, in the fourth quarter, HEPZA will focus on supporting approved projects, resolving difficulties and accelerating implementation. It will also step up investment promotion and proactively approach strategic investors, with priority given to high-tech and core-technology projects, research and development, innovation, and projects capable of establishing linkages with domestic enterprises.
Meanwhile, the Saigon Hi-Tech Park granted investment registration certificates to four new projects worth 1.23 billion USD in the first nine months, equivalent to 87.9% of its full-year target. Two new FDI projects have combined registered capital of nearly 590 million USD, while two domestic projects have a combined value of about 640 million USD. Five existing projects also increased their capital by a total of 57.519 million USD.
Nguyen Ky Phung, head of the Saigon Hi-Tech Park Management Board, said the new projects are notable for their complementary roles in the high-tech ecosystem, with one strengthening digital infrastructure and others expanding high-tech manufacturing and links with suppliers.
The Evolution hyperscale wholesale data centre project, with registered capital of more than 508 million USD, represents a major addition to the city's data infrastructure and is the largest newly licensed FDI project at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in the first nine months.
Meanwhile, Techtronic Tools Vietnam's 81-million-USD project will focus on manufacturing smart electronic equipment.
On the domestic investment side, the STARMASON hyperscale data centre complex, with registered capital of about 480 million USD, will increase investment in data infrastructure. The 160-million-USD Tam Anh Hi-Tech Centre project will add a high-tech service segment related to biomedicine.
Once implemented and put into operation as scheduled, these projects are expected to generate additional demand for technological services, highly skilled personnel and business linkages, contributing to the development of the science, technology and digital transformation ecosystem in line with Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science – technology development, innovation and national digital transformation.
As of the end of September, the Saigon Hi-Tech Park is home to 165 valid projects with total registered capital equivalent to 13.863 billion USD. Among them, 57 FDI projects accounted for about 79.4% of the total, or 11 billion USD.
The presence of major investors such as Intel, Samsung, TTI, Nipro, Jabil and Nidec is helping the Hi-Tech Park attract additional high-tech projects, strengthen supply-chain linkages and expand opportunities for domestic enterprises.
Going forward, the Hi-Tech Park will continue engaging with investors, reviewing available land and infrastructure conditions, and finalising a list of projects for investment promotion. Priority will be given to attracting investors to the Ho Chi Minh City Strategic Technology Development Centre, with the goal of meeting or exceeding the 1.4-billion-USD target for new investment in 2026, according to Phung./.
